Name: Drought in Florida, May 1 to 31, 2007
Start: 2007-05-01T00:00
End: 2007-05-31T23:59
Location: Florida

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MFL wrote it up.

A dry spring across South Florida combined with a prolonged period of below normal rainfall going back to early 2006 produced severe to extreme drought conditions across most of South Florida.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Miami, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 30, 8:47 PM EST, 3 hours 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 30, 8:47 PM EST, 3 hours 13 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
947 PM EDT MON APR 30 2007

.UPDATE...VERY DRY SURFACE CONDITIONS CONTINUE ACROSS THE REGION
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE WEST COAST WHERE A STRONG SEA BREEZE SET
UP. THIS SET THE STAGE FOR LATE AFTERNOON CONVECTION ALONG THE SEA
BREEZE FRONT JUST EAST OF APF AND THEN MOVED LITTLE. THE STRENGTH
OF THE CONVECTION DID NOT LAST LONG AS VERY DRY ALOFT ALSO GOT
ENTRAINED AND CUT OFF FURTHER DEVELOPMENT. STILL, THE CONVECTION
IS LASTING WELL INTO THE EVENING JUST NOW DISSIPATING. SO WILL
UPDATE ZONES TO TAKE OUT MENTION OF EVENING POPS AND REMAINDER OF
THE NIGHT LOOKS QUIET.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 300 PM EDT MON APR 30 2007/

DISCUSSION...
SOUTH FLORIDA REMAINS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF WEAK NORTHWEST FLOW
ALOFT THIS AFTERNOON...WITH LIGHT EASTERLY FLOW IN THE BOUNDARY LAYER
ALLOWING FOR SEA BREEZE DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE GULF COAST.  LATEST
VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATES HEALTHY CU ALONG THE WESTERN
HALF OF THE PENINSULA...AND ISOLATED SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN
THIS REGION UNTIL DUSK.  OVERALL...A STAGNANT WEATHER PATTERN IS
ADVERTISED BY SHORT TERM MODELS THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK...WITH
WEAK FLOW REMAINING IN PLACE ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA.  AS SURFACE HIGH
MOVES EASTWARD INTO THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE
WEEK...LOW-LEVEL WINDS WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY FAVORABLE FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF LIGHT STREAMER SHOWERS DEVELOPING OVER THE ATLANTIC
WATERS AND MOVING ONSHORE ALONG THE EAST COAST.  LOW CHANCE POPS FOR
SHOWERS WERE CONTINUED THROUGH WEDNESDAY...WITH INCREASING
INSTABILITY RESULTING IN INCREASING CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS BY
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

IN THE EXTENDED PORTION OF THE FORECAST...NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES
WERE MADE...WITH MODELS CONTINUING TO INDICATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN
OMEGA BLOCK OVER THE EASTERN CONUS BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND...AS
DEEP UPPER TROUGHS REMAIN IN PLACE OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC AND
CENTRAL ROCKIES.  LIGHT BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW AND SUFFICIENT
LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR A CHANCE OF SEA BREEZE
INDUCED CONVECTION EVERY AFTERNOON.

AVIATION...
VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD PREVAIL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND
THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS WITH ONLY A FEW CLOUDS AT 3500-4500 FT
EAST TERMINALS. BROKEN CLOUDS AT 6000 FT SHOULD MOVE EAST AND
SCATTER OUT SHORTLY WITH THE WEST COAST SEA BREEZE MOVING INLAND.
SMOKE FROM FIRES IN SOUTHERN GA WAS ADVECTING SOUTHWARD BY
PREVAILING NORTHERLY FLOW AT AROUND 5000 FT HAS SINCE THINNED OUT
AND THAT FLOW HAS VEERED TO THE NORTHEAST AND SOON TO THE EAST AND
SMOKE SHOULD STAY NORTH OF THE CWA. SEA BREEZE CONVERGENCE ON THE
WEST COAST MAY RESULT IN ISOLD -SHRA EAST AND SOUTHEAST OF KAPF THIS
AFTERNOON.

MARINE...
NO CONCERNS...WITH EASTERLY WINDS 10-15 KNOTS AND SEAS 4 FEET OR
LESS THROUGH THE PERIOD.

FIRE WEATHER...
WILL MAINTAIN INHERITED FIRE WEATHER WATCH FOR TUESDAY
AFTERNOON...AS MOISTURE RETURN REMAINS QUESTIONABLE AT THIS TIME.
GRADUALLY INCREASING DEW POINTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO LIMIT THE FIRE
WEATHER THREAT THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK.

&&

.MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY
     EVENING FOR FLZ063-FLZ066-FLZ067-FLZ070-FLZ071.

AM...NONE.
GM...NONE.
&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 30, 8:57 PM EST, 3 hours 3 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTH FLORIDA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
957 PM EDT MON APR 30 2007

FLZ063-066>075-011400-
GLADES-HENDRY-PALM BEACH WESTERN-PALM BEACH EASTERN-
WESTERN COLLIER-EASTERN COLLIER-WESTERN BROWARD-
BROWARD METROPOLITAN-WESTERN DADE-DADE METROPOLITAN-
MAINLAND MONROE-
955 PM EDT MON APR 30 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
MIAMI WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MIAMI.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Inland Broward

When: May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Inland Broward forecast zone
Reported by: Other Federal Agency
Coordinates: 26.152, -80.456 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Well-below normal winter and spring rainfall along with a prolonged period of dry weather going back to early 2006 caused for severe drought conditions to spread southward across South Florida. As of May 29th, all of South Florida north of a West Palm Beach to Naples line was under D3 (extreme) drought status, with areas south of that line in a D2 (severe) drought status, with the exception of Miami-Dade County which was not considered to be in a drought.

Rainfall had begun to fall a little more regularly by the end of the month across eastern sections, but remained sporadic all month across interior and western areas.

The level of Lake Okeechobee continued to lower, and reached a all-time record low of 8.94 feet by May 31st. Significant impacts continued for the general public as water usage restrictions continued across South Florida. Phase 3 restrictions (50 percent reduction in usage) were in effect while the rest of South Florida was under Phase 2 restrictions (30 percent reduction). Wells across most of South Florida were running at below 10 percent of normal, and underground reservoirs were also running below normal area-wide.

The extremely dry conditions along with scattered thunderstorms early in the month resulted in several wildfires breaking out across South Florida as a result of lighning. One wildfire burned in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Collier County for over a month from a lightning strike on May 4th, with over 60,000 acres burned. Another wildfire in the Picayune Strand State Forest started from lightning on May 7th, burning over 18,000 acres. On May 8th, the fire damaged 3 homes in the Golden Gate Estates area and threatened 33 others. Yet another lightning-sparked wildfire in Hendry County started on May 19th, consuming over 4,000 acres and threatening homes in Felda.

Drought, Inland Collier

When: May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Inland Collier forecast zone
Reported by: Other Federal Agency
Coordinates: 26.099, -81.381 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Well-below normal winter and spring rainfall along with a prolonged period of dry weather going back to early 2006 caused for severe drought conditions to spread southward across South Florida. As of May 29th, all of South Florida north of a West Palm Beach to Naples line was under D3 (extreme) drought status, with areas south of that line in a D2 (severe) drought status, with the exception of Miami-Dade County which was not considered to be in a drought.

Rainfall had begun to fall a little more regularly by the end of the month across eastern sections, but remained sporadic all month across interior and western areas.

The level of Lake Okeechobee continued to lower, and reached a all-time record low of 8.94 feet by May 31st. Significant impacts continued for the general public as water usage restrictions continued across South Florida. Phase 3 restrictions (50 percent reduction in usage) were in effect while the rest of South Florida was under Phase 2 restrictions (30 percent reduction). Wells across most of South Florida were running at below 10 percent of normal, and underground reservoirs were also running below normal area-wide.

The extremely dry conditions along with scattered thunderstorms early in the month resulted in several wildfires breaking out across South Florida as a result of lighning. One wildfire burned in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Collier County for over a month from a lightning strike on May 4th, with over 60,000 acres burned. Another wildfire in the Picayune Strand State Forest started from lightning on May 7th, burning over 18,000 acres. On May 8th, the fire damaged 3 homes in the Golden Gate Estates area and threatened 33 others. Yet another lightning-sparked wildfire in Hendry County started on May 19th, consuming over 4,000 acres and threatening homes in Felda.

Drought, Coastal Collier

When: May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Coastal Collier forecast zone
Reported by: Other Federal Agency
Coordinates: 26.099, -81.381 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Well-below normal winter and spring rainfall along with a prolonged period of dry weather going back to early 2006 caused for severe drought conditions to spread southward across South Florida. As of May 29th, all of South Florida north of a West Palm Beach to Naples line was under D3 (extreme) drought status, with areas south of that line in a D2 (severe) drought status, with the exception of Miami-Dade County which was not considered to be in a drought.

Rainfall had begun to fall a little more regularly by the end of the month across eastern sections, but remained sporadic all month across interior and western areas.

The level of Lake Okeechobee continued to lower, and reached a all-time record low of 8.94 feet by May 31st. Significant impacts continued for the general public as water usage restrictions continued across South Florida. Phase 3 restrictions (50 percent reduction in usage) were in effect while the rest of South Florida was under Phase 2 restrictions (30 percent reduction). Wells across most of South Florida were running at below 10 percent of normal, and underground reservoirs were also running below normal area-wide.

The extremely dry conditions along with scattered thunderstorms early in the month resulted in several wildfires breaking out across South Florida as a result of lighning. One wildfire burned in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Collier County for over a month from a lightning strike on May 4th, with over 60,000 acres burned. Another wildfire in the Picayune Strand State Forest started from lightning on May 7th, burning over 18,000 acres. On May 8th, the fire damaged 3 homes in the Golden Gate Estates area and threatened 33 others. Yet another lightning-sparked wildfire in Hendry County started on May 19th, consuming over 4,000 acres and threatening homes in Felda.

Drought, Inland Palm Beach

When: May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Inland Palm Beach forecast zone
Reported by: Other Federal Agency
Coordinates: 26.648, -80.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Well-below normal winter and spring rainfall along with a prolonged period of dry weather going back to early 2006 caused for severe drought conditions to spread southward across South Florida. As of May 29th, all of South Florida north of a West Palm Beach to Naples line was under D3 (extreme) drought status, with areas south of that line in a D2 (severe) drought status, with the exception of Miami-Dade County which was not considered to be in a drought.

Rainfall had begun to fall a little more regularly by the end of the month across eastern sections, but remained sporadic all month across interior and western areas.

The level of Lake Okeechobee continued to lower, and reached a all-time record low of 8.94 feet by May 31st. Significant impacts continued for the general public as water usage restrictions continued across South Florida. Phase 3 restrictions (50 percent reduction in usage) were in effect while the rest of South Florida was under Phase 2 restrictions (30 percent reduction). Wells across most of South Florida were running at below 10 percent of normal, and underground reservoirs were also running below normal area-wide.

The extremely dry conditions along with scattered thunderstorms early in the month resulted in several wildfires breaking out across South Florida as a result of lighning. One wildfire burned in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Collier County for over a month from a lightning strike on May 4th, with over 60,000 acres burned. Another wildfire in the Picayune Strand State Forest started from lightning on May 7th, burning over 18,000 acres. On May 8th, the fire damaged 3 homes in the Golden Gate Estates area and threatened 33 others. Yet another lightning-sparked wildfire in Hendry County started on May 19th, consuming over 4,000 acres and threatening homes in Felda.

Drought, Coastal Palm Beach

When: May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Coastal Palm Beach forecast zone
Reported by: Other Federal Agency
Coordinates: 26.648, -80.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Well-below normal winter and spring rainfall along with a prolonged period of dry weather going back to early 2006 caused for severe drought conditions to spread southward across South Florida. As of May 29th, all of South Florida north of a West Palm Beach to Naples line was under D3 (extreme) drought status, with areas south of that line in a D2 (severe) drought status, with the exception of Miami-Dade County which was not considered to be in a drought.

Rainfall had begun to fall a little more regularly by the end of the month across eastern sections, but remained sporadic all month across interior and western areas.

The level of Lake Okeechobee continued to lower, and reached a all-time record low of 8.94 feet by May 31st. Significant impacts continued for the general public as water usage restrictions continued across South Florida. Phase 3 restrictions (50 percent reduction in usage) were in effect while the rest of South Florida was under Phase 2 restrictions (30 percent reduction). Wells across most of South Florida were running at below 10 percent of normal, and underground reservoirs were also running below normal area-wide.

The extremely dry conditions along with scattered thunderstorms early in the month resulted in several wildfires breaking out across South Florida as a result of lighning. One wildfire burned in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Collier County for over a month from a lightning strike on May 4th, with over 60,000 acres burned. Another wildfire in the Picayune Strand State Forest started from lightning on May 7th, burning over 18,000 acres. On May 8th, the fire damaged 3 homes in the Golden Gate Estates area and threatened 33 others. Yet another lightning-sparked wildfire in Hendry County started on May 19th, consuming over 4,000 acres and threatening homes in Felda.

Drought, Glades

When: May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Glades forecast zone
Reported by: Other Federal Agency
Coordinates: 26.957, -81.189 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Well-below normal winter and spring rainfall along with a prolonged period of dry weather going back to early 2006 caused for severe drought conditions to spread southward across South Florida. As of May 29th, all of South Florida north of a West Palm Beach to Naples line was under D3 (extreme) drought status, with areas south of that line in a D2 (severe) drought status, with the exception of Miami-Dade County which was not considered to be in a drought.

Rainfall had begun to fall a little more regularly by the end of the month across eastern sections, but remained sporadic all month across interior and western areas.

The level of Lake Okeechobee continued to lower, and reached a all-time record low of 8.94 feet by May 31st. Significant impacts continued for the general public as water usage restrictions continued across South Florida. Phase 3 restrictions (50 percent reduction in usage) were in effect while the rest of South Florida was under Phase 2 restrictions (30 percent reduction). Wells across most of South Florida were running at below 10 percent of normal, and underground reservoirs were also running below normal area-wide.

The extremely dry conditions along with scattered thunderstorms early in the month resulted in several wildfires breaking out across South Florida as a result of lighning. One wildfire burned in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Collier County for over a month from a lightning strike on May 4th, with over 60,000 acres burned. Another wildfire in the Picayune Strand State Forest started from lightning on May 7th, burning over 18,000 acres. On May 8th, the fire damaged 3 homes in the Golden Gate Estates area and threatened 33 others. Yet another lightning-sparked wildfire in Hendry County started on May 19th, consuming over 4,000 acres and threatening homes in Felda.

Drought, Hendry

When: May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Hendry forecast zone
Reported by: Other Federal Agency
Coordinates: 26.554, -81.166 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Well-below normal winter and spring rainfall along with a prolonged period of dry weather going back to early 2006 caused for severe drought conditions to spread southward across South Florida. As of May 29th, all of South Florida north of a West Palm Beach to Naples line was under D3 (extreme) drought status, with areas south of that line in a D2 (severe) drought status, with the exception of Miami-Dade County which was not considered to be in a drought.

Rainfall had begun to fall a little more regularly by the end of the month across eastern sections, but remained sporadic all month across interior and western areas.

The level of Lake Okeechobee continued to lower, and reached a all-time record low of 8.94 feet by May 31st. Significant impacts continued for the general public as water usage restrictions continued across South Florida. Phase 3 restrictions (50 percent reduction in usage) were in effect while the rest of South Florida was under Phase 2 restrictions (30 percent reduction). Wells across most of South Florida were running at below 10 percent of normal, and underground reservoirs were also running below normal area-wide.

The extremely dry conditions along with scattered thunderstorms early in the month resulted in several wildfires breaking out across South Florida as a result of lighning. One wildfire burned in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Collier County for over a month from a lightning strike on May 4th, with over 60,000 acres burned. Another wildfire in the Picayune Strand State Forest started from lightning on May 7th, burning over 18,000 acres. On May 8th, the fire damaged 3 homes in the Golden Gate Estates area and threatened 33 others. Yet another lightning-sparked wildfire in Hendry County started on May 19th, consuming over 4,000 acres and threatening homes in Felda.

Drought, Coastal Broward

When: May 1, 7:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Coastal Broward forecast zone
Reported by: Other Federal Agency
Coordinates: 26.152, -80.456 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Well-below normal winter and spring rainfall along with a prolonged period of dry weather going back to early 2006 caused for severe drought conditions to spread southward across South Florida. As of May 29th, all of South Florida north of a West Palm Beach to Naples line was under D3 (extreme) drought status, with areas south of that line in a D2 (severe) drought status, with the exception of Miami-Dade County which was not considered to be in a drought.

Rainfall had begun to fall a little more regularly by the end of the month across eastern sections, but remained sporadic all month across interior and western areas.

The level of Lake Okeechobee continued to lower, and reached a all-time record low of 8.94 feet by May 31st. Significant impacts continued for the general public as water usage restrictions continued across South Florida. Phase 3 restrictions (50 percent reduction in usage) were in effect while the rest of South Florida was under Phase 2 restrictions (30 percent reduction). Wells across most of South Florida were running at below 10 percent of normal, and underground reservoirs were also running below normal area-wide.

The extremely dry conditions along with scattered thunderstorms early in the month resulted in several wildfires breaking out across South Florida as a result of lighning. One wildfire burned in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Collier County for over a month from a lightning strike on May 4th, with over 60,000 acres burned. Another wildfire in the Picayune Strand State Forest started from lightning on May 7th, burning over 18,000 acres. On May 8th, the fire damaged 3 homes in the Golden Gate Estates area and threatened 33 others. Yet another lightning-sparked wildfire in Hendry County started on May 19th, consuming over 4,000 acres and threatening homes in Felda.

What these are

Drought: A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Florida in 2007 Every state in 2007 This day in weather history Warnings in Florida, May 2007

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 37842, 37843, 37844, 37845, 37846, 37847, 37848, 37841.